Well, I'm Orthodox. Officially! Our chrismation was Holy Saturday. I could ramble on and on but here's the short of it: It was a beautiful day, we were early (wow, with all 4 kids dressed nicely, too!), I managed to buy some comfortable shoes which helped the pregnant lady make it through, the kids (and the husband) were impeccably behaved and I am so very proud of them, and it was completely different than Anglican confirmation with a bishop who I didn't think had apostolic succession. Praise God!
Watching our priest repeatedly pray, kneel, then rise, kneel, then rise to anoint all six of us plus two other catechumens who were coming in the Church made me love him more. I didn't think I could appreciate him more after all the trips he made to our house for catechism, and all the time he spent at our kitchen table with us. I'll miss seeing him there on Wednesdays, sipping coffee and cracking jokes. He's a great, gentle, loving priest and I hope he lives forever.
Pascha was beautiful, even though I was half asleep and sure everyone could hear my stomach growl. The deep slumber of the days after Bright Monday, when things finally slowed down for us, has been nice. All the meat and cheese and feasting of Bright Week celebrations has been great.
He is Risen! Now I look forward to learning more, growing more, and seeing my baby son baptized and chrismated all at once. I can't wait to meet the little guy! He has a personality already, and responds to noises, voices, temperature, and has a distinct sleeping pattern. I love him! I can't wait for this summer, minus the heat+pregnancy.
I'm trying to finish a semester of college and decide whether I will take a term break when the babe is born or not. Probably not, I'll just take fewer classes. We're also getting ready to order homeschool materials to go back to what we love in the fall. Pray for me and for my family in the coming flurry of responsibility!
29 April 2011
21 April 2011
Pascha preparations, kitchen-wise
Today the Pascha cookery began. First, Elijah and I made a lot of hard boiled eggs. Then, using the egg wraps my godmother gave us, we slipped each egg in a wrap, and dipped it in boiling water for a few seconds. What a great and easy way to make these beauties!
I've also had fun trying a new recipe for Scotch eggs.
This was labor intensive. Once I found a rhythm with the wrapping in sausage, frying, and baking it was easier. I had a few of these last year at the feast and with typical pregnant woman obsession I locked into the idea of making them.
I looked over a few recipes before I started. Hard boiling the eggs only until a few minutes after the water boils seems to keep the eggs from being overcooked. This one has the most important tips and tricks, like the chilling between steps which makes everything easier. I fried the breaded eggs, though, for a few minutes in vegetable oil, and then cooked them in the oven for 10 minutes to make sure the sausage inside was fully cooked.
The result? Delectable. These are delicious, and while they take a while to make (it took me 2 hours to cook 20, which since they are halved before servings equals 40) , I think it's worth it a few times a year. Especially with a little mustard...
I've also had fun trying a new recipe for Scotch eggs.
This was labor intensive. Once I found a rhythm with the wrapping in sausage, frying, and baking it was easier. I had a few of these last year at the feast and with typical pregnant woman obsession I locked into the idea of making them.
I looked over a few recipes before I started. Hard boiling the eggs only until a few minutes after the water boils seems to keep the eggs from being overcooked. This one has the most important tips and tricks, like the chilling between steps which makes everything easier. I fried the breaded eggs, though, for a few minutes in vegetable oil, and then cooked them in the oven for 10 minutes to make sure the sausage inside was fully cooked.
The result? Delectable. These are delicious, and while they take a while to make (it took me 2 hours to cook 20, which since they are halved before servings equals 40) , I think it's worth it a few times a year. Especially with a little mustard...
18 April 2011
parents
Anyone who has read the lives of the saints may have noticed this common factor: "He/She was the son/daughter of pious parents." Or, sometimes, a pious grandparent or godparent is named and their role in the life of the saint duly noted.
My prayers during my current pregnancy have revolved around this idea of parenthood a lot. I am far from someone that anyone in their right mind would describe as pious. My husband is a great father but even he would own that he is not a great, world altering Christian. I know some parents who have grown children, and I would say those parents are pious. Their children love the Church and God and it is evident that their upbringing had something to do with this.
Pray, reader, that somehow I can at least be a little, teensy, weensy bit pious and manage to have a good influence on my growing number of children. May their godparents, patron saints, guardian angels, the Theotokos, and foremost Christ be their guides and intercede for them. I know my own prayers alone are not enough to raise a gerbil, let alone a house full of babies.
My two-year-old daughter who lights up my life asks me often, "Will you help me walk, Mommy?" just because she wants me to hold her hand and go beside her, not because she needs help walking at her age. When her tiny fingers are grasping mine, I feel inadequate and know I need something more than I have if I'm going to really walk through life with her, and be an important part of who she becomes.
My prayers during my current pregnancy have revolved around this idea of parenthood a lot. I am far from someone that anyone in their right mind would describe as pious. My husband is a great father but even he would own that he is not a great, world altering Christian. I know some parents who have grown children, and I would say those parents are pious. Their children love the Church and God and it is evident that their upbringing had something to do with this.
Pray, reader, that somehow I can at least be a little, teensy, weensy bit pious and manage to have a good influence on my growing number of children. May their godparents, patron saints, guardian angels, the Theotokos, and foremost Christ be their guides and intercede for them. I know my own prayers alone are not enough to raise a gerbil, let alone a house full of babies.
My two-year-old daughter who lights up my life asks me often, "Will you help me walk, Mommy?" just because she wants me to hold her hand and go beside her, not because she needs help walking at her age. When her tiny fingers are grasping mine, I feel inadequate and know I need something more than I have if I'm going to really walk through life with her, and be an important part of who she becomes.
15 April 2011
a storm
Storms kept us up last night, well, the dog, the baby girl, and I. Ella insisted on sleeping on me, to make sure the thunder didn't get her. Sometimes I am terrified by my children's faith in my protecting them. I want to tell them I can't help and we're not safe, Mommy would be next to useless without a gun or something if it came down to it. When I have nothing else to say, and know the truth is cruel and sad, I try to say that God and his angels will protect us and we shouldn't worry. I usually believe it.
It's even harder to believe that the heavenlies will intervene with our finances. Money seems a trivial thing, in the face of a God who raised Lazarus after 4 days, but I met a man today who told me he's been unemployed for 3 years. That isn't trivial. He had to have been over 50. His job was the sort that didn't lead into another career easily. He was expressing joy that he finally has a part-time job with the company that laid him off. He said he'll have to be careful because the job didn't come with benefits. When he worked in the same capacity 3 years ago, benefits were a part of the position. He shook his head, "They take everything from you and then look for what else they can cut away. But it's a job, I have a job. After three years unemployed you just take it."
A while later I ran into a homeless man who comes to our church regularly for a bag of groceries. I help organize the food pantry and until recently haven't witnessed food being given out, it's often when I am not there. I've heard this man say several times that he's just had a hard week, as if every week hasn't been hard, and hard is surely an insufficient word. I was trying to get my son to open the door for me, as my hands were full of baby, bags, and purse. There I was, headed to buy Chinese food for lunch. Not because I couldn't eat something at home, but because I was sure after being up with the storm I just was too tired to cook. This man hastily put down his groceries and jogged over to open the door for me. He's always polite, and those aren't the manners of someone who never met society. How did he end up where he is? Thank God he can come to the church and quietly take a few things he needs. I look at him, and judge him, even fear him, while he looks at me only to see if I need a hand. I drive a nice minivan home to my loving husband and my beautiful children and my home while he rides his bicycle only God knows where and pops open a can of Campbell's. Where is his family?
To so many, the unemployed man is nobody. The polite man is nobody because he is homeless. But I have a strong feeling these men are definitely more Christ-like than me, more Christ-like than most of us.
It's even harder to believe that the heavenlies will intervene with our finances. Money seems a trivial thing, in the face of a God who raised Lazarus after 4 days, but I met a man today who told me he's been unemployed for 3 years. That isn't trivial. He had to have been over 50. His job was the sort that didn't lead into another career easily. He was expressing joy that he finally has a part-time job with the company that laid him off. He said he'll have to be careful because the job didn't come with benefits. When he worked in the same capacity 3 years ago, benefits were a part of the position. He shook his head, "They take everything from you and then look for what else they can cut away. But it's a job, I have a job. After three years unemployed you just take it."
A while later I ran into a homeless man who comes to our church regularly for a bag of groceries. I help organize the food pantry and until recently haven't witnessed food being given out, it's often when I am not there. I've heard this man say several times that he's just had a hard week, as if every week hasn't been hard, and hard is surely an insufficient word. I was trying to get my son to open the door for me, as my hands were full of baby, bags, and purse. There I was, headed to buy Chinese food for lunch. Not because I couldn't eat something at home, but because I was sure after being up with the storm I just was too tired to cook. This man hastily put down his groceries and jogged over to open the door for me. He's always polite, and those aren't the manners of someone who never met society. How did he end up where he is? Thank God he can come to the church and quietly take a few things he needs. I look at him, and judge him, even fear him, while he looks at me only to see if I need a hand. I drive a nice minivan home to my loving husband and my beautiful children and my home while he rides his bicycle only God knows where and pops open a can of Campbell's. Where is his family?
To so many, the unemployed man is nobody. The polite man is nobody because he is homeless. But I have a strong feeling these men are definitely more Christ-like than me, more Christ-like than most of us.
13 April 2011
My dear boy.
My middler son (yes, after the baby born he will be in the middle of our boys by age) turned 4 at the end of March. We just had his party last night. Other than a dud piñata that Daddy had to manhandle to get the candy to fall out and some birthday party blues from Eli, it was great fun. I love that Elijah has so many young friends who are such darlings.
Here he is with his newest round of wooden weapons from Burnt Mountain Crafts (www.rentoys.com). We have been ordering knight gear from them for a couple of years now and have been pleased not only with the quality but the durability of these handmade toys. I am very pleased when my children play imaginatively, and these newest toys have set off a whole new round of medieval scenarios. Modeled after ancient weapons, these are fantastic and fun. They have a new line of durable helmets, and Elijah just got the "Great Helm", the warrior shield, and a one-handed battle axe.
Here he is with his newest round of wooden weapons from Burnt Mountain Crafts (www.rentoys.com). We have been ordering knight gear from them for a couple of years now and have been pleased not only with the quality but the durability of these handmade toys. I am very pleased when my children play imaginatively, and these newest toys have set off a whole new round of medieval scenarios. Modeled after ancient weapons, these are fantastic and fun. They have a new line of durable helmets, and Elijah just got the "Great Helm", the warrior shield, and a one-handed battle axe.
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